CAT 2017 Syllabus out for preparation: Plan your CAT preparation for next 45 days

Add Review

MBAUniverse.com News Desk |
October 11, 2017
You can have access to CAT 2017 syllabus now although CAT 2017 exam centre has clearly stated that the CAT exam does not have a defined syllabus for CAT preparation. CAT 2017 syllabus is according to the CAT official Mock Test. The topics and question types that you see in CAT Mock test are based on CAT syllabus
CAT 2017 syllabus
Last year official CAT Mock test, is just short of the CAT 2017 exam paper. It will help you to understand in depth the CAT syllabus for CAT 2017 preparation

You can have access to CAT 2017 syllabus now, although CAT 2017 exam centre has clearly stated ‘The CAT exam does not have a defined syllabus for CAT preparation. However, you can attempt the mock test to understand the pattern of exam and types of questions.’

The biggest problem before the CAT 2017 aspirants is – where to get the CAT exam syllabus and how to know about the topics in each section which are covered in CAT 2017 syllabus? But the problem stands solved and you can prepare in accordance with CAT syllabus.

CAT 2017 syllabus defined!

Yes, now CAT is out of bag! As stated by IIM Lucknow, CAT 2017 syllabus is according to the CAT official Mock Test. The topics and question types that you see in CAT Mock test are based on CAT syllabus and you need to prepare following their question pattern. Besides, the MCQs and non-MCQs contained in official CAT Mock test would be on the same pattern as will be asked in CAT 2017 exam.

Important links:

How you can prepare as per CAT syllabus now?
The CAT 2017 Mock test is not yet released by IIM Lucknow. It is expected that CAT 2017 Mock test will be released after October 18, a month before the CAT 2017 exam date which is November 26, 2017.

But you still have detailed CAT 2017 syllabus which is official also. If you take the last year official CAT Mock test, you will find that it fully agrees with CAT 2017 syllabus. In fact, last year official CAT Mock test, is just short of the CAT 2017 exam paper. It will help you to understand in depth the CAT syllabus for CAT 2017 preparation. Now you can intensify your preparation for next 45 days as per the topics covered in CAT syllabus which is expected to be the replica of CAT 2017 actual test paper.

Please note that CAT syllabus for CAT 2017 may not be much different from the last 2 years of CAT exam, although the question content, topics and sectional composition may be a bit different. CAT toppers and CAT preparation experts suggest to prepare for CAT synchronizing it with the official CAT Mock test.

Take official CAT Mock Test with answers

CAT Syllabus is based on past trend of CAT exams and the CAT exam syllabus is the outcome of the topics which have earlier appeared in CAT exam.

The CAT exam syllabus is based on the mentioned guidelines and current structure of CAT exam. Past tendencies reflect that CAT exam syllabus and pattern overall tests the candidate on Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension; Quantitative Aptitude; Data Interpretation & Logical Reasoning. CAT exam Syllabus covers all the major topics on these test sections. CAT 2017 syllabus is based on the past 2 years paper pattern which contain questions from all these sections.

Major topics in CAT 2017 syllabus are available now and according to Prof S K Agarwal, expert and mentor on Verbal Ability for CAT, you should prepare in accordance with the CAT syllabus topics alongwith attempting more sectional tests and CAT Mock tests.

Major topics in CAT syllabus

Section-1: CAT Syllabus for VARC

CAT exam Syllabus for VARC section in CAT 2017 is divided in 2 parts. The 1st part of CAT 2017 syllabus covers questions based on Reading Comprehension passages and the 2nd part of CAT 2017 exam syllabus on VARC is based on questions on different topics on Verbal Ability.

Verbal Ability part will have 10 questions while RC part will consist of 24 questions in CAT syllabus, if the exam pattern is not changed this year. Key topics in Verbal Ability are Jumbled paragraphs, out of context sentence, para summary.

Other expected topics on which questions could be framed are correction of errors in sentences and paragraphs, Facts-Inference-Judgement, Fill in the blanks with correct vocabulary words, using the vocabulary in correct context.

Section-2: CAT Syllabus for DILR

Separate DILR section in CAT exam was re-originated after keeping the section in abeyance for 4 years. During this period the DILR questions were clubbed to Quant and Verbal Ability sections respectively. In 2015 IIM Ahmedabad, the then CAT convening IIM decided to re-introduce the DILR as a separate 3rd section. The pattern was followed by IIM Bangalore in 2016 also.

CAT exam Syllabus for DILR section in CAT 2017 is divided in 2 parts – Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning. The 1st part of CAT 2017 syllabus covers questions based on Data Interpretation (DI) and the 2nd part of CAT 2017 exam syllabus on DILR is based on questions on different topics on Logical Reasoning.

Section-3: CAT syllabus for Quantitative Ability

Syllabus of CAT exam 2017 for Quant section is very wide. Quantitative Aptitude (Quant) is the 3rd and last section in the revamped CAT exam pattern. Syllabus of CAT 2017 for Quant is vast and covers everything in Mathematics that you may or may not expect.

CAT 2017 exam syllabus on Quant is based on questions on different topics on Arithmetic, Algebra, Modern Math, Geometry, Mensuration, Trignometry among others.

Number and type of questions in CAT 2017
CAT 2017 is to have 100 questions divided in 3 sections. Each section will have following number and type of questions:

Section name Total questions Questions with 1/3 negative marking (MCQs) Questions without negative marking (Non-MCQs) Time limit to solve the section
VARC 34 24 10 1 hour
DILR 32 24   8 1 hour
Quant 34 24 or 27 10 or 7 1 hour

Take more sectional and full length Mocks

The best preparation strategy for CAT 2017 as per the CAT syllabus, is to strengthen your fundamentals, clear the concepts and ensure to take as many sectional quizzes and full length Mock tests, suggest  Prof S K Agarwal, expert and mentor on CAT preparation. This will help you to assess your CAT preparation level with various difficulty level questions of all types.

Scoring an overall percentile of 95-97 and sectional percentile of 85-90 each in CAT 2017, may get you an IIM - newer as well as IIM Ahmedabad provided you are not from engineering back ground. However, you need to aim for percentile as high as 99 as only then you can expect to be shortlisted for final admission round by IIM A, B, C, L. Any compromise on preparation strategy and relaxation to aim for less than 99+ percentile with equally high sectional percentile may not get you IIM A,B,C or L, if you really wish to pursue your MBA from a top rated B school, be it an IIM, FMS or others. 

Stay tuned to MBAUniverse.com for more updates on CAT 2017

Read also:

MBA/PGDM Admissions 2018 Open - Important Dates
For your benefit, MBAUniverse.com has listed important MBA/PGDM Admission Application Deadlines. Check now: 

XLRI – XAT 2018
Application to XAT is open till November 30 without late fee and till December 15 with late fee
MDI Gurgaon
Application for PGPM 2018-20 at MDI Gurgaon is open till November 24, 2017
IMI New Delhi
Application for PGDM 2018-20 at IMI New Delhi is open till December 4, 2017
NMIMS Mumbai – NMAT
Application to NMAT by GMAC and for MBA admission at NMIMS, is open till October 3
IMT Ghaziabad
Application for PGDM 2018-20 at IMT Ghaziabad is open till November 24, 2017
XIM Bhubaneshwar
Application for MBA 2018-20 at XIM Bhubaneswar is open till December 8, 2017
SCMHRD, Pune – SNAP 2017
SNAP 2017 registration is open till November 24, 2017
Great Lakes Chennai and Gurgaon
The application for 2 years PGDM 2018-20 is open till Feb 25, 2018
LIBA Chennai
Online Application for PGDM 2018-20 at LIBA is open till January 31, 2018 at a cost of Rs.1500/-
IBSAT 2017
Application to IBSAT 2017 is open till December 12, 2017
CIMP Patna
Application for PGDM 2018-20 at CIMP is open till March 2nd week, 2018
SDMIMD Mysore
Online & offline Application for PGDM 2018-20 at SDMIMD is open till February 28, 2018 with application fee of Rs.1250/-
SOIL Gurgaon
Application for PGP 2018-19 at SOIL is open till February 25, 2018
SIBM Hyderabad – SNAP 2017
To apply to SIBM Hyderabad, apply to SNAP 2017 on Dec 17 and also apply to SIBM-H in the SNAP Form
SIBM Bengaluru
To apply to SIBM Bengaluru, apply to SNAP 2017 on Dec 17 and also apply to SIBM-B in the SNAP Form
 

 

Take CAT 2017 Mock Full LengthTo assess your preparation in revised CAT 2017 exam pattern with 100 questions.
CAT Previous Year Question Papers, Answer With Solution:
CAT 2008    |    CAT 2007    |    CAT 2006    |    CAT 2005   |    CAT 2004
Section 1: Verbal Ability & Reading Comprehension CAT 2017: Quiz 1 CAT 2017: Quiz 2
Section 2: Data Interpretation and Logical Reasoning CAT 2017: Quiz 1 CAT 2017: Quiz 2
Section 3: Quantitative Ability CAT 2017: Quiz 1 CAT 2017: Quiz 2